Cream the butter and sugar together for about 10
minutes.Add eggs, 1 at a time.Gradually add the flour until all mixed well
then add the lemon extract and 7-UP.Pour into a well-greased Bundt pan and bake at 325 for 1 hour 15 minutes
or until done.When cake is cooled, mix
glaze ingredients together well and drizzle over the top.

A mandolin is a must for this recipe Jyou can find them at any kitchen store, and they
range from very inexpensive to expensive.I think I paid $10 for mine!Using a mandolin will allow you to slice the potatoes paper thin….watch
out for your fingers, though!In a deep
pot, pour about 3 cups of oil into it and heat the oil to about 350.Place potatoes in a single layer (careful not
to overcrowd the pot) and fry for 7 to 10 minutes or until they are golden
brown.Watch them carefully Jremove with a slotted spoon and place on a
slotted rack until slightly cooled.Salt
and pepper to taste.Serves 3 to 4
people.You may want to double the
recipe because they disappear fast!I
also do this with sweet potatoes and put cinnamon and sugar on them instead of
salt and pepper.

1 large baking potato, peeled, cubed and then boiled just
until softened

Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste (about
1T each)

1 t. Thyme

2 boxes of refrigerated pie crusts

10-12 individual casserole dishes

For Crust:

1 egg, beaten

1 t. water

Mix all the above ingredients except the egg, water and pie
crust and simmer on low for about 20 minutes.You may simmer up to an hour.Turn each casserole dish upside down and use a paring knife to cut the
shape of each crust.Pour mixture into
each individually greased dish and place crust on top of each.Poke a few holes in each crust with a fork
then mix egg and water and brush on top of each crust.Place casserole dishes on 2 large cookie
sheets and bake them at 375 for about 25 minutes or until crust is light brown.I like to broil mine for just a minute or two
so the crust is nice and crisp.Watch it
closely if you broil the top!Let them
sit 5-10 minutes before serving.

Spring Salad

1 bag Spring Lettuce Mix

½ bag fresh spinach

1 ½ cups glazed walnuts, pecans or toffee-glazed almonds

1 can mandarin oranges, drained

1 cup chopped strawberries

1 small chopped bell pepper

1 cup dried cranberries

Poppy Seed Dressing (I use Brianna’s brand)

Toss all together – add small amounts of dressing at a time
while tossing.It’s easy to over saturate!

Boil squash and onion together until very tender, and drain well.Mix melted butter into stuffing mix; set
aside.In a large bowl, mix squash,
soup, sour cream, and ½ of stuffing mix.Pour into a greased 8” square casserole dish.Top with remaining stuffing mix and bake at
375 for 45 minutes.

Mix the 2 boxes of cornbread up and bake in a black skillet
according to directions on the box.Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.Meanwhile, in a medium –size bowl, mix Ranch
dressing mix, sour cream, mayo and creole seasoning well.Using a whisk works well.Now you are ready to layer!In a large bowl OR a 13x9x2 pan, crumble half
the cornbread and place it on the bottom.Now place half the corn, beans and veggie mix on top of the
cornbread.Carefully spread half of the
dressing mixture over veggies using a butter knife and/or spoon.Top this with 1 cup of the cheese.Now, repeat a second layer ending with
cheese.It’s important to let this sit
in the fridge for 6 to 8 hours.Serve
with a large spoon and dig deep! JEnjoy!Any time I make this, the people who are hesitant to try it always,
always end up loving it and ask for the recipe!

In a large pot, melt butter and sauté onions over medium
high heat for about 3 to 4 minutes or until softened.Add the garlic and sauté’ for 1 minute
more.Turn the heat down to very low and
add remaining ingredients.Cover and let
simmer for at least 30 minutes. Sprinkle
with fresh or dried basil if desired and top with sour cream. Great with grilled cheese sandwiches J

GRILLED CHEESE SLIDERS

1 loaf French bread, sliced thin

¾ cup mayo

1 (8-ounce) package sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix together and spread on sliced bread to make little
sandwiches.I like to use my Panini
machine for these, but they work well in a skillet, too, just as you would cook
a regular grilled cheese sandwich.

1 T each of garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper (use more of each if you like)

1 pound pulled pork

In a large pot sauté onions in oil and butter until soft then add the garlic and the rest of the ingredients.Simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.Be sure to drain all cans of vegetables.You may want to add additional BBQ sauce and hot sauce to your liking.

Combine first 7 ingredients, stir well and then set aside.Place a little oil in a skillet and place
tortillas, one at a time, in a skillet and cook 5 to 10 seconds on each side
over medium-high heat. Lay cooked
tortillas on paper towels as you take them out of the skillet.Place about ¼ cup to ½ cup of the chicken
mixture into each tortilla and roll up.Place filled tortillas seam side down in a large baking dish.Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 25
minutes.Remove foil and sprinkle
remaining 1 cup of Colby jack cheese evenly over enchiladas.Bake about 5 minutes more or just until the
cheese is melted.

Mix all together and spread a generous layer on each
tortilla.Roll up each tortilla in saran
wrap and place in the fridge overnight.Cut them into 1/2 “slices with a bread knife just before serving.

MELISSA FRIDAY’S CHILI

2 lbs. ground beef

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon flour

1 (28-ounce) can Rotel

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 can French Onion soup

2 cans kidney beans ( I get 1 can of dark and one can of
light beans)

1 can chili beans

1 cup water

4 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons cumin

1 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion
powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ t. cocoa powder

Brown beef with the onion and bell pepper.Drain the beef and place back into a large
pot.Stir in the flour until mixed well
and add all of the remaining ingredients.Simmer at least an hour, but the longer it simmers on very low, the better
it is!You may want to taste it as you
cook it to see if you desire more of any of the seasonings.I serve my chili with grated sharp cheddar,
jalapenos and sour cream J

JALAPENO-CHEDDAR CORN MUFFINS

1 (6-ounce) package Mexican or regular cornbread mix

1 fresh jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 (7-ounce) can Mexicorn

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon sugar

Mix well and spoon into a well-greased 24-count mini muffin
tin.Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until
browned.

BANANA PUDDING PIE

2 cups finely crushed Nilla wafers

½ cup butter, melted

1 large box vanilla pudding

2 ½ cups whole milk

3 large bananas, sliced

1 small container Cool Whip

In a 9” pie plate, mix crushed Nilla wafers and butter
together.Press into pie plate and up
the sides.Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes
or until lightly browned.Remove from
the oven and let it cool completely.Meanwhile mix pudding and milk together.Place half the banana slices on the Nilla
wafer crust, then half the pudding then repeat one more time.Spread Cool Whip over pudding.Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight
before serving.

About Me

My name is Melissa, and my favorite thing to do is cook and experiment with new recipes...it's therapy for me :) I'm not a fancy cook...if I want fancy, I go to a 5-star restaurant :) My recipes are simple, I use every-day-easy ingredients and they tastes delicious! Family dinners are so important to me, and some of our best times and talks have been around the dinner table with my husband and 2 children. My purpose for this blog is to encourage and inspire you to have more time around your dinner table with your own family, while they enjoy and rave over the home-cooked meal you prepared for them! I have a cooking show called Dream Home Cooking which airs in North Alabama every Sunday morning on WAAY 31 at 9:30a.m. I also write a weekly food column for the Madison Record.